Apoptosis of cancer cells induced by HAP nanoparticles

To confirm apoptosis is one of the hepatoma cells death pathways after HAP nanoparticles absorption, hepatoma cells were collected for ultrathin sections preparation and examined under a transmission electron microscope (TEM) after 1 h incubation with HAP nanoparticle. Apoptosis was detected by TUNEL technique. After absorption, some vacuoles with membrane containing HAP nanoparticles were found in cytoplasma. The nuclear envelope shrinked, and some area pullulated from nucleus. The karyotin became pycnosis and assembled at the edge. An apoptosis body was found. And the data of IOD and numbers of the positive apoptosic signals in nuclear area of slides could illustrate much more apoptosis in the HAP group than those in the control group (P < 0.001). The experimental results indicate that the HAP nanoparticles can induce cancer cells apoptosis.